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      Adverbs of frequency
      Submitted by Chua Gim Sen Alan on 15 March, 2011 - 08:40

      Hi all,

      While adverbs of frequency are usually used in the mid-point of a sentence before the verb, there are some adverbs of frequency that can be used at the end of a sentence. i.e. Occasionally Thus, I would like to inquire if the word "rarely" can also be used at the end of a sentence.

      For example, They always swim but they cycle ______ (rarely).

      Is there any difference between "... they rarely cycle" and "they cycle rarely"?

      Thanks, Alan

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      joe32berts's picture
      joe32berts
      Adverbs of frequency
      Submitted on 20 March, 2011 - 12:47

      No difference Alan.

      Heath's picture
      Heath
      Emphasis
      Submitted on 17 April, 2011 - 03:44

      I don't see any real difference either.  That said, it isn't very often that I hear people put 'rarely' at the end of a sentence, and I assume when we do, we do so for emphasis.

      It is probably related to the idea that in English the 'background information' or the 'things we are talking about' come at the beginning of the sentence, and the 'news / news about those things' (eg. what happened to it; what it was like, etc) comes at the end of the sentence.

      This is just a rough guess, because I haven't really studied discourse analysis, but I believe it would be:

      • "They rarely cycle" = neutral version.  'They' = background information; 'rarely' and 'cycle' = news.
      • "They cycle rarely" = emphatic version.  'They cycle' = background information; 'rarely' = news.

      The second would probably only be used if the speakers had already agreed that 'they cycle' but hadn't discussed how often yet.

       

       

      * Is this useful for a learner of English to know, though?  I'd probably just tell them that the second is 'rarely used'!

      cmftrier's picture
      cmftrier
      Sentences like this are found very rarely.
      Submitted on 22 April, 2011 - 15:33

      I also don't find any difference in meaning between the two version you offer, only one of emphasis. Heath is right - since we don't really put "rarely" at the end of a sentence, putting there attracts attention to it and thus makes it emphatic.The emphatic nature can be emphasised by words like "very":

      Sentences like this are found very rarely.

       

      Here's a website I just came accross that explains the positions of adverbs in more detail, hope that helps!

      http://www.englishtenseswithcartoons.com/adverbs_of_frequency_position

       

      CMF